The invention relates to compensating audio signals for the hearing impaired and more particularly to hearing loss compensation for telephony systems.
Persons with hearing impairments have particular trouble understanding conversations conducted over telephones. Some hearing aids include a special magnetic coupling device that magnetically couples audio signals from a telephone handset to the hearing aid. However, not all telephones can be used with magnetic coupling devices. Many public and home telephones have volume controls that compensate for mild hearing loss by simply increasing the volume of the audio signals coming out of the telephone handset. However, volume controls amplify the entire audio signal and do not compensate for the particular frequencies associated with a particular user's dependent hearing impediment.
Telephone volume controls generally must be manually adjusted every time someone with a hearing impediment uses the telephone. A person with normal hearing, who wishes to use the same telephone, must then readjust the telephone back to a normal volume level. Increasing local gain in the telephone handset also increases noise reflected back to the telephone receiver from the listener's local. This decreases the ability to distinguish speech from the amplified background noise.
According a need remains for a system that automatically tailors audio signal compensation for individual hearing impaired telephone users.